SB 1386 - This act modifies a number of provisions relating to ethics and campaign finance contribution disclosures. The act requires lobbyists to file verified registration forms with the Missouri Ethics Commission no later than January 5 of each year or five days after beginning lobbyist activities. Financial interest statements must be filed with the commission electronically rather than in paper form. The act changes the dates by which financial interest statements must be filed.

Candidates for General Assembly leadership positions may form campaign committees. The act sets the campaign contribution limits for the leadership committees, requires the leadership committees to file campaign contribution disclosure reports by certain dates, and prohibits the leadership committees from making campaign contributions to leadership candidates' regular candidate committees.

The notice that must be given to subjects of complaints and commission investigations is changed from "actual notice" to "notice". Persons appealing actions of the Missouri Ethics Commission against them must appeal to the circuit court of Cole county, rather than the Administrative Hearing Commission. The act deletes direct dollar amounts from various sections limiting campaign contributions and instead references the section setting the base amount and the method of computing the biennial increase. The act requires certain candidates who must currently file required reports with both their local election authority and the Commission, to just file with the Commission.

The act requires that candidates for the General Assembly file campaign disclosure reports electronically, beginning on a date set by the commission but not later than January 1, 2005. The act repeals the requirement that the Commission print and make available a summary of all laws over which the Commission has enforcement powers. The act reorganizes various sections regarding reporting requirements for out-of-state committees and candidates nominated by political party committees. Finally, the dollar amount of contributions which triggers the requirement for continuing committees to file electronic reports is lowered from $15,000 to $5,000 and the act extends the requirement to political party committees and campaign committees.

This act is identical to HB 1150 (2004).
JIM ERTLE